PURPOSE: To evaluate the immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccine among very low birth weight infants(VLBWI) who were vaccinated at 0, 1, 6 months of chronological age and to determine the factors associated with antibody formations. METHODS: A total of 243 VLBWI admitted to Seoul and Gangneung Asan Medical Center neonatal intensive care units from 1997 to 2004 were included. Of 243, 13 infants were born to HBs Ag positive mother. All infants were given DNA recombinant vaccine at 0, 1, and 6 months of chronological age. Infants born to HBs Ag positive mothers received hepatitis B immunoglobulin at birth and a total of 4 doses of vaccinations. An antibody level over 10 mIU/mL, tested at 3-4 months after last vaccination, was regarded as a positive seroconversion. RESULTS: The seroconversion rates were 84.4 percent and 84.5 percent for VLBWI and extremely low birth weight infants(ELBWI), respectively. Of 28 seronegative infants who were given revaccinations, 60.7 percent seroconverted, resulting in 95.3 percent, 97.5 percent seroconversion rates for VLBWI and ELBWI, respectively. 76.9 percent of infants born to HBsAg positive mothers seroconverted and none became hepatitis B carriers. Factors such as gestational age, sex, various neonatal illness, and kinds of vaccinations did not influence the formation of the hepatits B antibody, however, the higher the weight at time of first vacciation yielded better seroconversion rate. CONCLUSION: Revaccination of seronegative VLBWI after 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccinaton is very effective. Therefore, testing the immune status after the hepatitis B vaccination, a practice not routinely done, is highly recommended.
Chungcheongnam-do ; DNA ; Gangwon-do ; Gestational Age ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunization, Secondary ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Seoul ; Vaccination*

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to determine the anatomical and functional changes of the left ventricle (LV) in obese children less than 10 years old using the conventional echocardiography and tissue doppler. METHODS: A total of 45 children were enrolled for the study of which all including 12 obese children whose body mass index (BMI) exceeded 95th percentile for age and sex adjusted standard BMI of Korean children were screened by conventional echocardiographic and tissue doppler imaging examinations at Kangneung Asan hospital during June 2005 to October 2005. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in age between control and obese group (CG vs. OG: 7.1+/-1.2 yr. vs. 8.0+/-1.5 yr). The average BMI in OG was 22.6+/-2.4 kg/m2. The conventional echocardiographic indices of LV including the diastolic LVID (LV Internal Dimension), LVPWT (LV Posterior Wall Thickness), the systolic IVST (Interventricular Septal Thickness), LVID and LVPWT were higher in OG compared to CG. Also, the LV mass (LVm), LV mass index (LVmI), fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) were higher in OG than CG. however, the early and late diastolic mitral inflow velocities (E, A) and their ratios (E/A) showed no differences between the two groups. The myocardial performance index (MPI) was higher in OG than CG: 0.42+/-0.09 vs. 0.35+/-0.07. The isovolemic relaxation time (IVRT) was prolonged in OG compared to CG: 55+/-8 ms vs. 46+/-9 ms. The indices of TDI including the systolic peak velocity (s') and late diastolic peak velocity (a') at mid-IVS were higher in OG than CG, but the early diastolic peak velocity (e'), e'/a', E/e' at mid-IVS showed no differences between the two groups. The indices of TDI at the lateral portion of mital annulus showed no differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This study showed that increased LVm, LVmI, EF, FS, MPI, IVRT and a' in obese children less than 10 years old. This result showed anatomical and functional early change of LV due to obesity similar to adult and adolescence more than 10 years old.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Child* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Echocardiography* ; Gangwon-do ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Obesity ; Relaxation

The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data for competitive dominance in an institutional foodservice environment. Data were collected from 85 experts and practitioners on customer-oriented service contact elements and contact fields in the foodservice industry. PASW Statistics ver.18 and MS Excel were used for data analysis. From the pilot study, 67 service contact-elements were derived. Contribution rate analysis and frequency analysis in each contact field were performed in order to categorize four factors, including environment-oriented contact, product-oriented contact, service-oriented contact, and image-oriented contact fields. Thirty three contact elements were derived, and environment-oriented contact consisted of eight contact-elements (cleanliness of restaurant/kitchen, etc.), product-oriented contact consisted of twelve contact-elements (food taste, etc.), service-oriented contact consisted of seven contact-elements (service quality, etc.), and image-oriented contact consisted of six contact-elements (image/reputation, etc.). The results of study will be useful to develop an effective marketing program for competitive dominance in an competitive foodservice industry environment.
Marketing ; Pilot Projects ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND: Hand eczema is one of the most common skin disorders and negatively affects quality of life. However, a large-scale multicenter study investigating the clinical features of patients with hand eczema has not yet been conducted in Korea. OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of various hand diseases, which is defined as all cutaneous disease occurring in hands, and to investigate the clinical features of patients with hand eczema and the awareness about hand eczema in the general population and to compare the prevalence of hand eczema between health care providers and non-health care providers. METHODS: To estimate the prevalence of hand diseases, we analyzed the medical records of patients from 24 medical centers. Patients were assessed by online and offline questionnaires. A 1,000 from general population and 913 hand eczema patients answered the questionnaire, for a total of 1,913 subjects. RESULTS: The most common hand disease was irritant contact dermatitis. In an online survey, the lifetime prevalence of hand eczema was 31.2%. Hand eczema was more likely to occur in females (66.0%) and younger (20~39 years, 53.9%). Health care providers and housewives were the occupations most frequently associated with hand eczema. Winter (33.6%) was the most common season which people experienced aggravation. The 63.0% and 67.0% answered that hand eczema hinders their personal relationship and negatively affects daily living activities, respectively. CONCLUSION: Hand eczema is a very common disease and hinders the quality of life. The appropriate identification of hand eczema is necessary to implement effective and efficient treatment.
Activities of Daily Living ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Eczema* ; Female ; Hand* ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Korea* ; Medical Records ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Seasons ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires